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Rheumatology 2002; 41: 829-830
© 2002 British Society for Rheumatology

Letters to the Editor

Prolonged arthritis associated with Sindbis-related (Pogosta) virus infection

M. Laine1,2,, R. Luukkainen3, J. Jalava2, J. Ilonen4, P. Kuusisto5 and A. Toivanen1,2

Departments of
1 Medicine,
2 Medical Microbiology and
4 Virology,
3 Turku University, Turku, Satalinna Hospital, Harjavalta and
5 Ilomantsi Health Centre, Ilomantsi, Finland

SIR, Harley et al. [1] express concern that we have overinterpreted our results [2]. Their opinion is mainly based on reports of prolonged symptoms caused by Ross River virus. It may have escaped the attention of Harley et al. that the method used in our study was not at all based on mailed questionnaires. All our patients were personally interviewed and examined by a physician, and their earlier hospital records were analysed. Suspected arthritis was further verified by X-ray and ultrasonography. There was no significant participation bias, because 26 out of 30 patients accepted the invitation.

Harley et al. worry that suspicion of Pogosta disease leads to inappropriate and superfluous treatment. This is hardly the case, as there is no specific treatment of Pogosta (Sindbis) virus infection. Musculoskeletal symptoms, whether acute or chronic, often require management which is in most cases based on anti-inflammatory agents.

We are well aware of the high prevalence of rheumatic symptoms in the community. This does not exclude the possibility that some of them are due to a specific cause, Pogosta disease being one example. We agree with Harley et al. that information provided for the public should be based on solid scientific foundations. Information for medical professionals in scientific journals should also alert doctors to recognize new causes of symptoms, Lyme disease being an example of this.

Notes

Correspondence to: M. Laine, Department of Medicine, Turku University, Kiinamyllynkatu 4–8, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland. Back

References

  1. Harley D, Bossingham D, Sleigh A. Prolonged arthritis associated with Sindbis-related (Pogosta) virus infection. Rheumatology2001;40:1310–20.
  2. Laine M, Luukkainen R, Jalava J, Ilonen J, Kuusisto P, Toivanen A. Prolonged arthritis associated with Sindbis-related (Pogosta) virus infection. Rheumatology2000;39:1272–4.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
Accepted 7 January 2002


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